The fourth adventure on our day of maximum adventure was the boat ride on the Blyde Resevior. This resevoir was built some 20 years ago to provide water to gold mining operations. It fills a portion of the third largest canyon in the world. The stark scenery was amazing. This little boat is the only boat allowed on the reservoir, now a preserve. A relaxing boat ride in a very quiet place. Our guide described just about every rock formation we saw. This canyon has lots of history, a sacred place years ago.
The highlight was seeing a family of hippos with a newborn hippo – about the size of Jackson. The hippos were very protective of the young and the males immediately began swimming out toward us. We kept our distance and they relaxed a bit, and so did we! Apparently, hippos are responsible for the most human killings in Africa. You are never supposed to get between a hippo and the water, otherwise they take you down.
The Next South Africa Entry: Sunsets And Scenery
The Whole Trip: South Africa – The Summary